What cruise line would you recommend?

I've been on 13 cruises so far, with just about all of the major cruise lines. All of them have their good points, so it really depends upon your situation.

My favorite, so far, has been Virgin Voyages. I've been on two cruises on the Scarlet Lady and, although I am an "older" cruiser, I really love the young, active and (dare I say?) hip vibe on the ship.

Kids on a ship have never bothered me, indeed I am usually entertained by them, but these ships limit cruisers to 18 years and older, which makes them ideal for someone who prefers a child-free environment.

No main dining room, and all the "specialty" dining venues are included with your cruise. The "buffet" is more like an upscale food court, with things like fresh sushi, tacos, desserts, all-day-breakfast and hamburgers. All of it is well prepared and the service is always friendly and accommodating.

There are two pools on Scarlet, multiple hot tubs and plenty of places on deck to grab a seat. While the deck chairs around the pool may get taken up on sea days, you will never want for a place to sit down if you are willing to go further away from the pool.

Music on the ship is well curated, and even this old-fogie enjoyed it enough to check if there is a Virgin Voyages option on Pandora (there is!)

Prices reflect the higher amenities, but tipping is discouraged (VV pays better than other cruise ships and it is reflected in the service.) As most cruise ships charge upwards from $15 per passenger service fee, this should be considered when comparing prices.

The only "downside" from my perspective is the private beach on Bimini. Others cruise lines private beaches are immediately where you step off the ship, where the VV beach is a tram ride away. Once you get to the beach, though, it is very nice. Especially if you get off the ship early, when you have your choice of beach chairs and umbrellas.

VV is higher priced than the mainstream cruise lines like NCL and Carnival, but I believe you get your money's worth. They do have four and five day cruises and I think I would prefer one of those over a week on one of the other lines.

The clientele skews younger (although there was enough grey on the ship to keep me comfortable) and is welcoming to all lifestyles. I'm an early-to-bedder so I missed the parties, but from conversations with other cruisers in the elevators, they were a lot of fun.

Oh, and most of the balconies have a hammock. You can ignore everything else I said above, I go on the ship just for the hammock!

I can't give you the best answer because I've only sailed with 2 companies but it will help to know your budget and what kind of vibe you are looking for. Some cruises are full of 80 year olds who go to bed at 7pm and some are full of screaming kids.

I’m a travel agent and if you were my client, I’d suggest Celebrity to you.

I would say do Wonder of the Seas. From the text I’ve read you are not an old couple. Although RCI would be fine if you were.

But the ship offers a lot and does maybe CocoCay, depends on the route of course.

East coast is varied. Travel from NY and you are looking at two days of sea travel just to get to the Bahamas. Sail from Miami and you can be there the next morning. In general the farther south you sail from the quicker your ship will reach the tropics.

My suggestion - start with https://www.cruiseplum.com/ and filter for your time of year and ports of embarkation first. This can take that list of thousands of options down to just 20 or so real quick.

Next, the length of the cruise. longer ones are more expensive since they are prices by day, but that pricetag also discourages the families with kids. A Carnival 6 day will have less kids on it than a Royal 3 day.

Royal Caribbean and NCL are generally considered middle of the road. I suggest trying one of those and then adjusting future cruises based on your enjoyment of one of those.

• Want a bit more luxurious, refined vibe? Go up to Celebrity

• Don't like kids or casinos? Go for Virgin but keep in mind when comparing prices that Virgin includeds gratuities, wifi, and most non-alcoholic drinks while others will charge extra for those things.

Celebrity. I think Virgin might be worth a look too if their vibe appeals to you. Avoid ships with water slides, go carts, or that look like a shopping mall on a barge.

Oh... and why Celebrity? I've been on four cruises with them in the past year, and they have yet to disappoint. The vibe is fun and relaxed but not a party boat, dress is casual with a few guidelines ("smart casual") that just about everyone pays attention to. There are a few kids on the ship somewhere, but they hide them away pretty well. Most folks are mid 20's - 40's I'm guessing. Great shows, activities and night life, very good food. I'd recommend one of the new "Edge class" ships, but the older ships are nice, too.

Celebrity and Royal Caribbean are owned by the same company... Royal Caribbean is more targeted at the same demographic as Carnival ("McDonald's of the Sea") where Celebrity refines things quite a bit. Several of the Celebrity Caribbean itineraries now include a stop at Coco Cay, which has recently added a new area just for the Celebrity ships.

I'll put in the word for NCL here and why they're my favorite line:

When I fill out the NCL Access Desk Form and speak with the coordinator, everything is done to my exact needs in the cabin. On all other cruise lines and on land restaurants, they tell me which foods contain my allergens and which don't and I choose from what I can have.

On NCL, they give me the menus the night before, let me choose what I want to eat and ... they make me what I want to eat and don't make it with the stuff I'm allergic to!! As long as it's something they fully make on the ship and not outsourced, they make me my own version.

I initially chose them back in 2003 for my first cruise because I didn't want to be forced into a time slot to eat. NCL was the only one with freestyle dining and the upcharge specialty restaurants, back then. That appealed to me. I also didn't want to dress up with formal nights, and NCL was the only line that didn't have those back then.

This part won't apply to you, but I sometimes go without my husband and NCL has these wonderful Studio Cabins and lounge. I like those cabins so much I'm really considering that when my husband goes with me next, we get 2 adjoining Studios rather than a normal cabin.

As far as traveling as a couple, you will fit into just about any cabin on any ship. So do "dummy" bookings to see the real price with taxes and port fees. As a rule of thumb, whatever the fare is, expect your price to double once all the taxes, fees and gratuities are added in.

In terms of timing be aware that fall is hurricane season which can make cruising a bit unpredictable. Rare for one to be completely cancelled but port changes and cancellations are quite common.

Unpopular opinion, but dollar for dollar im taking MSC. Royal IS nicer, and Carnival has some better amenities but dollar for dollar … MSC is a way better value if you book at the right time. (IE; drink package!)

(EDIT: We enjoy our drinks, if you don’t it might not be as enticing, but the dining room food was great, the buffet was hit or miss)

Unless you are offended by drag shows, I would definitely recommend Virgin Voyages. They include so much more than traditional cruise lines. Don't look at the advertised price because Virgin includes gratutities, wifi, group fitness classes, gelato, specialty dining and more when others do not.

Most of their Caribbean cruises include the beautiful Bimini Beach club.

Totally relaxed and open and fun. No dress codes. No buffet (there is a food court but the food is made to order) and no main dining room. You go to a different restaurant every night.

I would recommend Virgin Voyages if you want adults only, lots of wellness options, great dining and upscale experiences.

Celebrity is great if you don't mind some kids but still want a more premium experience.

Royal has tons of fun stuff to do on a lot of their ships and can be great if you're looking for more fun activities.

NCL also has a ton of stuff to do on their ships and offers a "freestyle" experience that is a little different from other lines.

Your age and what type of experiences and activities you are interested in matter a lot. If you have specific things in mind I would be glad to make a more specific recommendation!

Seabourn and Regent of the Seven Seas. Service and quality of the food is the best

Travel Advisor here! I would say Celebrity! They are a personal favorite of mine and many of my friends and clients. There are cruise departure ports on the east coast of Florida or other locations! We like Celebrity because it never feels crowded, there are only a few kids onboard, the staff is amazing, and the ports (highly recommend The Virgin Islands) are incredible. I would highly recommend getting a balcony cabin, if your budget allows. We really enjoy the privacy of the balcony and being able to watch the world go by! It's the best stress reliever for us.

for my first cruise(and only so far) I went with a group of girl friends on Carnival, out of Mobile, AL. It was one of the oldest and smallest ships, and also one of her last trips, because she's gone over the rainbow bridge to the scrap yard. . . So IMhumbleO, I can only go up from there! So my family is discussing a Christmas Cruise this year on NCL, and my sister wants to go on a fancy ship out of Galveston

NCL is a favorite for me. Priced reasonably with many cruise port options from the areas you listed. Definitely get a balcony if you want to chill out in your room. Shows on board are usually great skiing with the staff and food.

Carnival was ok but the crowd tends to be bigger if a party ship.

Royal Caribbean nice as well.

I haven't sailed Virgin but had read great things about it.

Price out a few lines to see what works for you.

Royal Caribbean. They have a little bit of everything for all ages. You wont be overrun with kids, Cocoa Cay is a great day with a little bit of everything, and you can also relax.